Design and development
Formal
development of an anti-submarine warfare (ASW) version of the Mil Mi-8
transport helicopter was authorised by the Soviet Communist Party Central
Committee and Council of Ministers in April 1965, with the objective of
replacing the Mil Mi-4 in the short-range, shore based anti-submarine role. The
new helicopter was required to have an endurance of 2 hours on station at
a radius of 222 kilometres (120 nmi; 138 mi) from base.
